Needling machine

ABSTRACT

A perforated stripping plate is disposed over and vertically spaced from a perforated backing plate to define a space therewith. Means are provided which are operable to move a multiplicity of needles up and down through said backing and stripping plates. Upper and lower feed rollers form a nip and are operable to advance a non-woven web through said nip and toward said space. The upper feed roller is formed with annular grooves. A plurality of juxtaposed rods are provided, each of which comprises first and second legs and an apex portion at which said legs are joined and include an acute angle with each other. Each of said rods extends into one of said annular grooves only with said apex portion on that side of said upper feed roller which faces said space. Said first leg is fixed at a point spaced from said apex portion. Said second leg extends from said apex portion into the proximity of the needles which are nearest to said feed rollers.

United States Patent [1 1 lFehrer [4 Nov. 25, 1975 l l NEEDLING MACHINE [76] Inventor: Ernst Fehrer, Auf der Gugl 28, Linz, Austria 22 Filed: Feb. 28, 1975 21 Appl. No.: 554,136

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 1, 1974 Austria 2703/74 [52] US. Cl 28/4 R [51] Int. Cl. D04H 18/00 [58] Field of Search 28/4 R, 72.2 R

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,621,54C 11/1971 Morrill 28/4 R 3,837,054 9/1974 Fehrer 28/4 R Primary Examiner-Louis K. Rimrodt Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kurt Kelman [57] ABSTRACT A perforated stripping plate is disposed over and vertically spaced from a perforated backing plate to define a space therewith. Means are provided which are operable to move a multiplicity of needles up and down through said backing and stripping plates. Upper and lower feed rollers form a nip and are operable to advance a non-woven web through said nip and toward said space. The upper feed roller is formed with annular grooves. A plurality of juxtaposed rods are provided, each of which comprises first and second legs and an apex portion at which said legs are joined and include an acute angle with each other. Each of said rods extends into one of said annular grooves only with said apex portion on that side of said upper feed roller which faces said space. Said first leg is fixed at a point spaced from said apex portion. Said second leg extends from said apex portion into the proximity of the needles which are nearest to said feed rollers.

3 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure All . ll! II!!! gfflllllli US. Patsnt Nov. 25, 1975 3,921,266

posed rods, which are disposed above and, if desired,

below the non-woven web and are spaced apart across the width of the non-woven web and have each a fixed leg, an intermediate portion which extends in an associated annular groove of an associated one of the feed rollers, and another leg which extends between the stripping and backing plates into the proximity of the first needles.

In a known apparatus of this kind (Opened German Specification No. 2,053,863), the rods are disposed above and below the non-woven web which is being fed and serve to bridge the space between the nip of the feed rollers and the first needles and these rods are fixed on the receiving side of the pair of feed rollers and .are curved around the rollers and extend through the nip of the rollers and further to the first needles. In a modified arrangement, the rods extend around the two feed rollers on the receiving side over an arc of more than 180 so that the rods are virtually mounted on the rollers themselves and there is no need for special means for fixing the rods. In such an arrangement the web being advanced between the upper and lower rods exert on the rods a tensile force directed toward the needles so that the rods are always firmly urged into the annular grooves of the pair of feed rollers and are in frictional contact with the rollers in the grooves. This results in an increased wear because the rods act like brake shoes. The upper and lower rods form pairs of vertically aligned rods. This has the further disadvantage that the feed rollers cannot exert a feeding action adjacent to each pair of rods so that the web material is braked there and the web is formed with longitudinal streaks which correspond to the positions of the rods and in which the web material slightly lags behind the adjacent zones.

To eliminate these disadvantages it is already known to provide the upper and/or upper perforated plate, i.e., the stripping and/or supporting plate, with blades, which protrude like the teeth of a comb toward the feed rollers and which extend into annular grooves on the delivery side of the feed rollers. In such an arrangement, the annular grooves of one feed roller are later ally staggered from the annular grooves of the other feed roller so that a vertical alignment of upper and lower blades is avoided. Whereas this design has proved quite satisfactory, it can be used only when the distance between the stripping and backing plates is not to be changed. When it is desired to needle nonwoven webs differing in thickness, at least the stripping plate must be adjustable in height for adaptation to the thickness of the respective non-woven web. In that case it is not possible to provide the adjustable perforated plate with blades which extend into annular grooves of the associated feed roller.

For this reason it is an object of the invention so to improve the apparatus defined first hereinbefore that the wear of the rods and feed rollers is reduced to a virtually insignificant minimum and a distortion of the web is not to be feared.

This object is accomplished according to the invention in that each rod has a first leg and a second leg which includes an acute angle with the first leg, each rod extends only at the apex of said angle in an annular groove of the associated feed roller on the side thereof facing the needles, the first leg is fixed at a point spaced from said apex, the second leg extends from the apex of said angle toward the needles, and any lower rods and annular grooves of the lower feed roller are laterally staggered from the upper rods and the annular grooves of the upper feed roller, respectively.

Because the rods no longer protrude into the nip between the feed rollers and the upper and lower rods are not vertically aligned but laterally staggered a formation of streaks in the non-woven web by a braking of the material of the web need not be feared. Besides, the advancing web does not force the rods into the annular grooves of the feed rollers but even pulls the portions of the rods slightly away from the bottom of the grooves so that there is virtually no friction between the rods and the feed rollers and for this reason an appreciable wear is not to be feared, particularly because each rod extends only with its apex portion in an annular groove. One leg of each rod is secured independently of the adjacent perforated plate so that the strip- 7 ping plate and, if desired, also the backing plate can readily be adjusted for adaptation to webs differing in thickness.

The essential parts of a needling machine provided with an illustrative embodiment of the feeding appara- .tus according to the invention are shown in a diagrammatic vertical sectional view on the accompanying drawing.

Needle boards are inserted in a needle beam 1, which is moved up and down at high speed. The needle boards carry a multiplicity of needles 2, which are arranged one beside the other and one behind the other. The needles 2 pierce the non-woven web, which is not shown, as it is advanced between a perforated stripping plate 2 and an also perforated backing plate 4. The stripping plate is adjustable in height. The non-woven web is fed by an endless conveyor belt 5 and passes between two rollers 6, 7, which are formed with annular grooves 8. Rods 9, 10 are arranged on that side of the pair of feed rollers 6, 7 which faces the needles 2. Each rod has legs which include an acute angle and with a portion 11 at the apex of said angle extends in an annular groove 8 formed in the upper or lower feed roller 6 or 7. One leg 12 extends between the stripping plate 3 and the backing plate 4 into the proximity of the first needles 2. The rod is fixed at its other leg 13, which ex tends from the apex on a line which is approximately tangential to the associated feed roller 6 or 7. The upper rods 9 and the annular grooves 8 of the upper feed roller are laterally spaced from the lower rods 10 and the annular grooves 8 of the lower feed roller 7, respectively. When the upper and lower legs 12 are spread apart or are pulled toward the needles by the non-woven web as it is forced between the legs 12, the apex portions 11 will disengage the feed rollers 6, 7 so that the friction is reduced. The upper rods 9 do not obstruct an adjustment of the stripping plate.

What is claimed is:

1. A needling machine, which comprises a perforated backing plate,

a perforated stripping plate disposed over and vertically spaced from said backing plate to define a space therewith,

a multiplicity of needles,

means operable to move said needles up and down through said backing and stripping plates.

upper and lower feed rollers forming a nip and operable to advance a non-woven web through said nip and toward said space. said upper feed roller being formed with annular grooves, and

a plurality of juxtaposed rods. each of which comprises first and second legs and an apex portion at which said legs are joined and include an acute angle with each other each of said rods extending into one of said annular grooves only with said apex portion on that side of said upper feed roller which faces said space, said first leg being fixed at a point spaced from said apex portion. said second leg extending from said apex portion into the proximity of the needles which are nearest to said feed rollers.

2. A needling machine as set forth in claim 1, which comprises an endless conveyor belt operable to feed said non-woven web to said nip.

3. A needling machine as set forth in claim 1, in

which said rods constitute upper rods.

said lower feed roller is also formed with annular grooves, which are laterally staggered from the annular grooves of said upper feed roller, and

a plurality of juxtaposed lower rods are provided, each of which comprises first and second legs and an apex portion at which its legs are joined and include an acute angle with each other. each of said lower rods extending into one of said annular grooves of said lower feed roller only with said apex portion on that side of said lower feed roller which faces said space. said first leg of each of said lower rods being fixed at a point spaced from its apex portion, said second leg of each lower rod extending from its apex portion into the proximity of the needles which are nearest to said feed rollers. said lower rods being laterally staggered from said upper rods. 

1. A needling machine, which comprises a perforated backing plate, a perforated stripping plate disposed over and vertically spaced from said backing plate to define a space therewith, a multiplicity of needles, means operable to move said needles up and down through said backing and stripping plates, upper and lower feed rollers forming a nip and operable to advance a non-woven web through said nip and toward said space, said upper feed roller being formed with annular grooves, and a plurality of juxtaposed rods, each of which comprises first and second legs and an apex portion at which said legs are joined and include an acute angle with each other, each of said rods extending into one of said annular grooves only with said apex portion on that side of said upper feed roller which faces said space, said first leg being fixed at a point spaced from said apex portion, said second leg extending from said apex portion into the proximity of the needles which are nearest to said feed rollers.
 2. A needling machine as set forth in claim 1, which comprises an endless conveyor belt operable to feed said non-woven web to said nip.
 3. A needling machine as set forth in claim 1, in which said rods constitute upper rods, said lower feed roller is also formed with annular grooves, which are laterally staggered from the annular grooves of said upper feed roller, and a plurality of juxtaposed lower rods are provided, each of which comprises first and second legs and an apex portion at which its legs are joined and include an acute angle with each other, each of said lower rods extending into one of said annular grooves of said lower feed roller only with said apex portion on that side of said lower feed roller which faces said space, said first leg of each of said lower rods being fixed at a point spaced from its apex portion, said second leg of each lower rod extending from its apex portion into the proximity of the needles which are nearest to said feed rollers, said lower rods being laterally staggered from said upper rods. 